AGADAH: The Mishnah (3:6) discusses a case in which it transpires that a
woman after childbirth must bring several Korbanos. Rebbi Yehoshua says that
this case is similar to the popular saying that when a sheep is alive, it
has only one voice, but when it is dead it has seven voices: from the
sheep's two horns, one can make two trumpets; from its two thigh bones, one
can make two flutes; its skin can be made into a drum, and its stomach can
be made into a lyre, and its entrails can be made into a harp.
Rebbi Shimon ben Akashya continues the analogy. When ignorant people become
older, their faculties of intelligence become progressively weaker, as the
verse says, "Hashem removes the lips of the reliable and takes away the
intelligence of the elderly" (Iyov 12:20; see TIFERES YISRAEL). In contrast,
this does not happen to elderly Torah scholars. On the contrary, the older
they become, the clearer their perception and understanding becomes, as the
verse says, "With the elderly is wisdom, and those who have long days
possess understanding" (Iyov 12:12). The RAMBAM (in Perush ha'Mishnayos)
explains the comparison as follows. Just as the dead sheep has seven voices,
so, too, the elderly Talmidei Chachamim grow in wisdom and their "Sechel"
enhances and improves, even while their body becomes weaker.
The VILNA GA'ON explains the reason why the verse uses the word "wisdom"
(Chochmah) when it mentions "the elderly," and the word "understanding"
(Sechel) when it mentions "those who have long days." A person who is not
yet elderly has not yet had the opportunity to learn a lot. However, if he
possesses a "broad heart" -- if his thinking is clear, he is able to
understand additional concepts in Torah from the knowledge that he already
possesses. The meaning of "those who have long days" is that a person's days
are full and good, and he has (or makes) the time and the peace of mind so
that he can progress in his Torah learning. This person, even though he is
young, can reach a high degree of understanding even though he has not yet
reached the level of wisdom, Chochmah. Chochmah is a higher level, and it is
attained only through time. The elderly, in addition to possessing "long
days" which enabled them to attain understanding, have attained Chochmah in
Torah as a result of learning assiduously for many years.
The TIFERES YISRAEL (#74) offers a different explanation for the verse. He
explains that the term "long days" refers to the long extension of life that
even those who are already old may merit. He explains that "understanding"
is a higher level than "wisdom," because "understanding" refers to the
ability to understand the wisdom that one already possesses, which, in turn,
enables him to progress further to greater wisdom.
The Tiferes Yisrael (#72) points out that the reason why this Mishnah is
recorded at the end of Seder Kodshim is because it explains how the elderly
Talmidei Chachamim possess wisdom, and it is Seder Kodshim which is referred
to as "wisdom" in the verse (Yeshayah 33:6), as expounded by the Gemara in
Shabbos (31a). When the Torah scholars age, their Yetzer ha'Ra no longer
troubles them, and they can rest from the distractions of the physical world
and put all of their time and energy into studying and teaching Torah. (D.
Bloom)